IO-320-B1A engine considerations

[CaptPausert]

I ended up buying an IO-320-B1A engine core for my RV-9A build. You can tell I am a bit of a newbie to piston engines as I did not realize that the B1A was a dynafocal 2 mount and wasnt really paying attention to that when I bought it. thankfully the crankcase shop I took it to pointed it out and can modify it to a Dynafocal 1 mount.

For anyone that is running a B1A on their RV is there anything else I should consider when rebuilding it?

At some point someone had converted it from fuel injection to a carbureted engine and it came with both vertical and horizontal induction sumps. I am considering either using the flyEFII system32 fuel injection and ignition system or converting it back to fuel injection and using Emags. If I do either of those options I will not need the carb and Bendix mags it came with. Would I be better off selling them as is or having the carb and mags overhauled and then selling them?

Thanks

 

[CT Brietigam]

I ended up buying an IO-320-B1A engine core for my RV-9A build. You can tell I am a bit of a newbie to piston engines as I did not realize that the B1A was a dynafocal 2 mount and wasnt really paying attention to that when I bought it. thankfully the crankcase shop I took it to pointed it out and can modify it to a Dynafocal 1 mount.

For anyone that is running a B1A on their RV is there anything else I should consider when rebuilding it?

At some point someone had converted it from fuel injection to a carbureted engine and it came with both vertical and horizontal induction sumps. I am considering either using the flyEFII system32 fuel injection and ignition system or converting it back to fuel injection and using Emags. If I do either of those options I will not need the carb and Bendix mags it came with. Would I be better off selling them as is or having the carb and mags overhauled and then selling them?

Thanks

Brian, many years ago I built an RV-3 powered by an IO-320-B1A. At that time Van supplied a type II dynofocal mount. So, it was an easy install . Having said that, everything for you will buttoned up just as any other IO-320 would. Modifying the engine ears to type I is a fairly simple machine shop operation.

Blue skies,
Chuck Brietigam
RV-6XXL

 

[RV6_flyer]

Many, not all, of the ?O-320-B?? engines have an oil sump with an updraft carb mount that is too far aft on the sump to work on an -A model RV.

If your horizontal sump is the one that requires rear air intake, that is not desirable on an RV.

That is stuff to checked before you get too far into the project.

 

[CaptPausert]

I checked and the updraft mount is on the forward part of the sump. The horizontal sump is the rear air intake so I guess that one is getting sold. any opinion on whether or not it is worth the cost of upgrading to the superior cold air sump is worth it over a updraft mount?

 

[Mark Curley]

I am installing an IO-320-B1A in my RV-6. The mount was previosly changed to type I, no problem to bolt up. My rear facing sump was modified previously (by Lycon, I believe) to front facing so it can be done. The snorkel fit was awful, lots of work to modify.

 

[PaulvS]

I checked and the updraft mount is on the forward part of the sump. The horizontal sump is the rear air intake so I guess that one is getting sold. any opinion on whether or not it is worth the cost of upgrading to the superior cold air sump is worth it over a updraft mount?

We will be changing an injected engine over to carbureted and will soon have available a Superior cold air sump and the Airflow Performance injected system that came on the new engine. It has been run for about 10 hours on another aircraft and is being used to replace the carbureted D2A on our RV-9A. If you may be interested in the sump and the fuel injection system please let me know. I'm currently waiting to hear back from Aerosport Power (they are doing inventory) about trading in the injection system on some other parts that we need. Aerosport originally supplied the XP-320 engine.

Note that if you are planning to fit a fuel injected engine then there is a specific bottom cowl otherwise the cowl needs to be modified. There are a couple of ways to go about the induction system.